Construction for double-walled tank cars



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CONSTRUCTION FOR DOUBLE-WALLED CARS Odd A. Hansen, Kenmore, N. Y., assignor to The Linde Air Products Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Ohio Application August 19, 1939, serial No. 290,970

8 Claims. (Cl. 10S-358) This invention relates to constructions for the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, and shows details in th double-walled tank cars adapted for storing construction here employed; and/or transporting liqueed gases of the kind Fig. 3 is a detailed view on a somewhat enhaving relatively low boiling points at atmospheric larged scale showing the manner of actuating and pressure, and particularly to double-walled tank protecting the controlling means which regulates 5 cars `which have the space intervening between the passage of liquid to and from the inner vessel; the inner and outer cylindrical vessels lled with and a powdered insulating material, the space being Fig 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on preferably evacuated to increase the insulating the line 4--4 of Fig. 1, showing further details of The invention has for its object generally the Referring now to the drawings, and particuprovision of a double-walled tank car construclarly to Fig. 1, Il) denotes a supporting frame extion in which the componentvessels or containers ternally associated with the container, and from are each separately supported on the car frame which a wall Il of an inner vessel of the con- 5 at points imposing relatively little stress upon tainer is suspended, such vessel being adapted to 15 the walls of the vessels. hold the liquefied gas that is to be placed or stored More specically, an object of the invention inthe tank car either with or without the aid oi is to pro-vide an arrangement for supporting the a lining or basket (not shown) Outside of` the cylindrical double-walled container of tank cars vessel I I and spaced therefrom is a second or 30 of the character indicated with means including outer vessel I2 which is also suspended from the 20 an externally associated frame for supporting the frame I0, the manner of suspension being hereindouble-walled container on the car frame at deafter more fully explained. The space intervensired points along the frame Where the concening between the vessels thus provided is a closed tration of stress may be reduced to as low values space and has no communication with the out- AIlOther Object iS t0 DrOVide Ineens fOr Securing an evacuating connection, when a vacuum is to the d0ubleWelled COIltainel directly to the car be employed, The wall of the outer vessel is also frame and brace it against end thrusts in a manpreferably 'strengthened by one o r more interiorly ner that avoids substantially any liability to apdisposed stiiening rings as shownlat I2.

:i0 ply Concentrated StreSSeS t0 the Wall `0f the D11-ter .A gas Phase or evaporation connection I3 is pro- 30 VeSSel and Which might tend t0 impair the Vaevided leading from a convenient external point, uum where evacuation of the Space between the such as one adjacent one side of the car frame 20,

Wells 0f Component VeSSelS iS employedthrough the space intervening between vessels Other objects of the invention will in part be l l and I2, to a suitable point at the top o f the 1n- :25 ObViOllS and Will nprt appear herelnaftel ner vessel II. To this end, the connection I3 1s 35 The nVeIltiOn accordingly comprises the feeshown continuing through a bend at I4 in the intures of construction, combination of elements tervening Space to an inlet T-member I5, the laterld arrangement 0f Darts, Which Will be eXemter having a protected inner end and a branch plified in the construction hereinafter set forth I4' leading t0 another connection (not shown),

.lo and the Scope 0f the invention will be indicated in similar to that at I3, on the other side of, the car. 40 the Claims. A liquid phase connection I6, adapted to serve For a fuller understanding 0f the nature and both as a filling and a withdrawal connection, is objects of the invention, reference should be had provided, and leads from a suitable point near the t0 the fOllOWiIlg detailed description taken in C011- bottom of the inner vessel through the intervening -15 neetlm With the aeeompanying ClreWirlgS, in space to apoint without the vessel I2. This con- 45 -which: nection may also be provided in duplicate. In

Fig- 1 is a VieW 0f e CODStrlletGn for e doublesuch case, the two connections pass in opposite diwalled tank car Shown partly in elevation and rections through the wail of vessel I2 to the partly in vertical s on (the section being at exterior, The points in the wall of vessel I2 to right angles to the licrltudinal axis of the car), where both the connections I3 and I6 pass are pro- 50 the tank on the car being adapted to have an vided with hermetical sealing means,.which conevacuated insulating space and suitable for storduct relatively little heat from the wall of the ing and/or transporting liquid oxygen in accordvessel I2 to the connections. To this end, the ance with the invention; sealing means, as shown at .I'I, preferably con- Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on sists of a'conical wall made of a material having a 55 relatively low ,thermal conductivity and proportioned so that its generating element is of relatively great length whereby the thermal resistance interposed is relatively great. The regulation of the flow of liquid to and from the vessel I I through the connection I6 is accomplished by means of an interiorly disposed valved controlling means I8 that has a multi-way header I9 attached and with which the connection I6 communicates, the communication being preferably through a bend located in the intervening space, in order to accommodate expansion and contraction in the parts.

In order that liquid withdrawal may be eiected in the event of a failure of the valve at I8 to be opened, an auxiliary withdrawal connection I 6' is provided, leading from a point within the inner vessel I I near the bottom thereof, passing upwardly through the top, and thence through a bend in the intervening space to one of the passages in header I9. This connection is constructed like a siphon. To operate this connection, however, a, pressure mustrbe generated in the gas space of the inner vessel to lift the liquid past the knee. As long as such pressure exists, such flow will continue. Otherwise, the flow will cease since it is known that a boiling liquid cannot be siphoned; the liquefied gas here transferred being essentially a boiling liquid since its boiling point is below 273 K.

The filling of the inner vessel is also accomplished under pressure from a source of the liqueed gas. When the source is connected through the liquid connection I6, the valve at I8 is opened and liquid enters. To ascertain when the vessel II is properly filled, it is provided with one or more trycock connections, as shown at I6, the outer end of which is passed through the wall of the vessel I2` and provided with a trycock, as shown at I8.

In tank cars provided in accordance with the invention, the inner and outer vessels are, of course, cylindrically shaped, and the frame I0 which supports the same may be a simple narrow structure made of one or more plate members with an open or cut-away central portion shaped to permit the horizontal passage of the outercylindrical vessel through the same. Such plate members are preferably provided with stiffening webs adjacent their edges. The frames, which are generally two in number, are then placed along the outer vessel at advantageous points, for example, the quarter points or those one-quarter of the length from the ends.

An advantageous form of frame structure for this purpose is shown in Fig. 4 and comprises a pair of parallel substantially rectangular plates Illa and Ib united at the edges by stiiening webs IIJc, the plates having circular openings of diameters admitting the vessel I2 snugly and to which it is preferably rigidly secured, for example, by welding. The frame I0 is disposed at right angles Ato the longitudinal axis of the containers and mounted on car frame 20 (see Fig. 2). The car frame is shown as consisting of a center sill 20c and two side sills 2I and 2| which are joined together in any known manner. To permit the frame I0 to be mounted on the car frame at desired points, other than over the trucks, bolsters, in addition to the conventional truck bolsters, such as shown at 20m, are provided. As shown these additional holsters consist of two members 22 and 2'2, which are embodied in the car frame. Such an additional bolster in an end of the car frame may with advantage be located nearer the center than the conventional bolster and is hence located a desired distance away from the truck bolster toward the center. Each frame-I0 is then made fast to the car frame directly over its additional bolster. The car frame is preferably strengthened in addition by suitable means, for example, by the introduction of a strengthening plate 23 that is. inserted between the additional bolster and the framel III, and arranged to overlie and be made fast to the whole of an end portion of the car frame.

The inner vessel II is supported directly from the frame IIJ and not from the surface of walls of vessel I2, this being accomplished by means of a sling-like arrangement comprising -a pair of brackets or lugs 2d made fast to the ends of a girth member 25 disposed about the bottom wall of the inner vessel substantially in the region of the frame Ill. Attached to each bracket is a sustaining rod or cable 26 which extends generally with one or more nuts 26X arranged to bear on the collar 21.

In order to pass the rods 26 through the wall of vessel I 2 in a gas-tight manner, openings are provided in the wall in lthe region where the rod passes and a sleeve 28 disposed about each rod 26 and attached to the wall I2 in a gas-tight manner, as by welding, the other end of the sleeve being engaged with and made fast to the lower end of collar 21 which is preferably reduced for the reception of the sleeve, the joint being sealed by welding or brazing. The joint between collar and nuts is also made gas-tight while at the same time preserving the adjustability of nuts 26'- by the provision of a cap or housing 29 over the vnuts 26', the latter being soft soldered in position on the collar 21.

In order. that the outer vessel I2 may be braced against end thrusts and otherwise to aiord additional support therefor, web members 30 and 30 are interposed between the car frame and the outside wall of the vessel I2 at one or more Ipoints, for example, adjacent the additional bolster 22, these members being conveniently formed by taking an I-beam and cutting olf the bottom iiange and then bending over the web so as to provide an angle-portion that may be bolted to the plate 23 as indicated at,3 I, the top iiange 32 of the I-beam being welded or otherwise arranged to make imperforate engagement with the outer wall of the vessel I2. The inner vessel may be braced by suitable means, for example, by stays, as shown at 36, these being no part of the present invention but are shown and described in copending application, Serial No. 290,971, led on August 19, 1939, in the name of Zenner, Van Vleet and Hansen.

In Fig. 3, detalls of the liquid controlling means are shown. Here, 'a handwheel |50 (see Fig. 1) at the top of vessel I2' has a valve rod ISI which extends downwardly from the handwheel through a packing gland I52 that'is hermetically sealed by welding in the top Wall in any convenient manner, for example, by means of a dome |53, having 'a depending ange that ilts into a groove in a collar ISI, the latter being snugly fitted into and sealed in an opening in the top wall of vessel I2. A housing for the gland I 52 is provided in the form of an expansible bellows |55 which extends downwardly and is similarly hermetlcwally sealed 75 in the wall of vessel li. The valve rod itil is preferably arranged to make sliding engagement with the valve moving stem |56. To this end, the stem has a sleeve H51, pinned or otherwise secured thereto as shown at 658, the sleeve having a follower E99 brazed to its upper end and adapted to receive slidingly the lower end of the valve rod i which may be squared in order to engage therewith and transmit valve moving torque. 'I'he valve proper is in a casing ISI which has openings itt to permit the passage of liquid and has a nipple it?, in threaded engagement with its lower end. This nipple has a ange |64 depending into and made fast to the header i9. To exclude any solid particles in the liquid from entering the valve casing, a screen M55 is placed about the casing iti over the openings E62. The nipple, thus provided, is brazed into an opening that is provided as indicated in the lower wall of the vessel l l. By such means, it will be understood that the passage of liquid to and from the connection i6 may be controlled, the invention of such means being no part of the present invention, the same being disclosed in copending application, Serial No. 290,972, nled on August 19, 1939, in the name of Hansen and Van Vleet.

l'n order to insulate properly the contents oi the inner vessel from heat that may be transferred from without the outer vessel to the inner vessel by the usual processes of convection, conduction, and radiation, the space between the inner and outer vessels is iilled with a substantially dry heat insulating material in a fibrous or comminuted condition. Any suitable material of the character indicated may be employed, for example, asbestos fiber, powdered magnesium carbonate, magnesia cement consisting of magnesium carbonate and asbestos fiber, a nely divided silica material, a glass wool, or a combination of two or more of the same.

' In order to permit convenient iilling of the space between the inner and outer vessels, one or more manholes are provided in the wall of the outer vessels, such as shown generally at :it in Fig. l. This manhole has a cover which makes a gas-tight joint and is sealed in place by soldering.

When the tank car thus constructed has the insulating space properly filled with insulating material in the manner indicated, the insulating effect may be enhanced by the use of a suitable vacuum, as taught in copending application, Serial No. 307,945, filed on December 7, i939, in the name of L, ll. Dana. Such vacuum may be pulled by convenient means, such as a mechanical vacuum pump when connected to the intervening space through a connection (not shown) provided for the purpose in the wall of vessel l2. lit is desirable usually that the vacuum so pulled shall be oi an order of 0.1 mm. of mercury. Such vacuum pulling means may be either temporarily connected or permanently connected. In the latter case, such means would be mounted at some suitable point on the car frame. In the present instance, a temporary connection is contemplated and the pump disconnected and the connection closed when the desired degree of vacuum obtains in the insulating space.

In operation, the tank car of the present invention is lled by connecting 'the connection i6 to a source of supply of the liquefied gas, the liquid being forced through the connection, until a desired charge has been introduced, which may be itl is seated by turning handwheel lEU. Material in the gas phase in the vessel I I,\dsplaced during a lling operation, is readily vented through connection I3, which venting may be to the atmosphere, or to a gas receiver, if such be connected at the filling plant to connection i3. During transit, the space in vessel IH has. free communication to the atmosphere through connection i3.

When the car has reached a place of use, the connection lli is connected to a consumers receiving device or system (not shown) and the control means at lll (or the valve in casing ll) opened to permit the withdrawal of liquid. This is accomplished by turning handwheel l5!) at the top of vessel l2 to unseat the valve, this handwheel actuating the valve member through rod i5l. When a desired quantity has been discharged, the controlmeans is closed.

By this arrangement an accumulation of pressure within the inner vessel is at all times avoided and protection afforded to the control means,

whereby loss of liquid from the vessel i i is avoided even in the event of injury to the connection lt.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made Without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a double-walled tank car construction, the combination with an inner cylindrical vessel adapted for holding a liquefied gas, of an outer cylindrical vessel disposed about and spaced from said inner cylindrical vessel thereby providing an intervening space for insulating purposes, a car frame having acenter sill and provided with a bolster, a second frame for supporting said vessels disposed in supporting relation over said bolster and provided with means for supporting the wall of said outer vessel, suspension means for separately supporting said inner vessel from said second frame passed through the wall of said outer vessel, and sealing Vmeans joining said suspension means with the wall of said outer vessel.

2. In a double-walledv tank car construction, the combination with an inner cylindrical vessel adapted for holding a liqueed gas, of an outer cylindrical vessel disposed about and spaced from said inner cylindrical vessel thereby providing an intervening space for insulating purposes, a car frame having a center sill and provided with a bolster in addition to the conventional truck holsters, a second frame for supporting said vessels disposed in supporting relation over said additional bolster and provided with means for engaging and supporting the wall of said outer vesN sel. suspension means for separately supporting said inner vessel from said second frame .and passing through the wall of said outer vessel, sealing means joining said suspension means with the wall of said outer vessel, and means for bracing said outer vessel against end thrusts having im perforate attachment to the wall of said outer vessel and secured to said car frame.

3. In a double-walled tank car construction, the combination with an inner cylindrical vessel adapted for holding a liquefied gas, of an outer cylindrical vessel disposed about and spaced from said inner cylindrical vessel thereby providing an intervening space for insulating purposes, a car frame having a center sill and provided with a bolster, a second frame for supporting said vessels comprising a structure having an opening therein of suflicient size to admit said outer cylindrical vessel disposed in supporting relation over said bolster, an anchoring member secured to said second frame and having a sleeve adjoining and hermetically sealed in the wall of said outer vessel, a supporting rod made fast in said anchoring member passing through said sleeve and disposed in supporting engagement with the wall of said inner vessel, and means for hermetically sealing the anchorage of said rod against the passage ofair from the outer atmosphere into said sleeve and the space between said vessels.

4. In a double-Walled tank car construction, the combination with an inner cylindrical vessel adapted for holding a liquefied gas, of an outer cylindrical vessel disposed about and spaced from said inner cylindrical vessel thereby providing an intervening space for insulating purposes, a car frame comprising a center sill and side sills and a plurality of transverse bolsters, a plurality of second frames for supporting said vessels each comprising a structure having a stiffening member and disposed in supporting relation over one of said bolsters, a pair of anchoring members in each of said second frames each secured in a Web portion thereof and disposed adjacent the sides, a sleeve depending from each anchoring means and attached thereto in a gas-tight manner, each sleeve being extended down to and sealed in an opening in the wall of said outer vessel, a girth member disposed about the under side of said inner vessel in the region of a frame and having `brackets provided with supporting rods which are arranged to pass through said sleeves and be made fast in said anchoring members, means at the upper ends of each of said rods for adjusting the position of said rods in said anchoring members, and housing means for hermetically sealing said adjusting means and the passage of said rods through said anchoring means against the passage of air from the outer atmosphere.

5. In a double-walled tank car construction, 5 the combination with an inner cylindrical vessel adapted for holding a liqueecl gas, of an outer cylindrical vessel disposed about and spaced from said inner cylindrical vessel thereby providing an intervening space for insulating purposes, a o car frame comprising a center sill and side sills having at least a pair of transverse bolsters, a pair of second frames for supporting said vessels, each comprising a structure provided with a stiiening member and disposed in supporting rela- 5 tion over one of said bolsters, a pair of anchoring members in each of said second frames, each such member being secured in a web portion o-f said second frame and disposed adjacent the sides, a sleeve depending from each anchoring means and attached thereto in a gas-tight manner, each sleeve being extended down to and sealed in an opening in the wall of said outer vessel, a girth member disposed about the under side of said inner vessel in the region of a second frame and having brackets provided with supporting rods which are arranged to pass through said sleeves and be made fast in said anchoring members, means at the upper ends of each of said rods for adjusting the position of said rods in said anchoring members, housing means for hermetically sealing said adjusting means and the passage of said rods through said anchoring means against access to the outer atmosphere, and means for bracing the outer vessel against end thrusts arranged to make imperforate engagement With the Wall of said outer vessel and secured to said car frame.

6. In a double-Walled tank car construction, the combination With an inner cylindrical vessel adapted for holding a liqueed gas, of an outer cylindrical vessel disposed about and spaced from said inner cylindrical vessel thereby providing an intervening space for insulating purposes, a car frame having a center sill provided With a bolster, a second frame for supporting said vessels disposed in supporting relation over said bolster and provided with means for engaging and sup porting the wall of said outer vessel, said second frame Iconsisting of at least one plate having a stiiening web and an opening in which said outer cylindrical vessel is rigidly secured, anchoring means secured in a Web portion of said frame, supporting sleeves sealed in the Wall of said outer vessel and attached to said anchoring means, a girth member disposed about said inner vessel, brackets at the ends of said girth member, supporting connections extending from said brackets through said sleeves and made fast in said anchoring means, and means for bracing said outer vessel against end thrusts attached to the Wall of said outer vessel and secured to said car frame.

7. In a d-ouble-Walled tank car construction, the combination with an inner cylindrical vessel adapted for holding a liqueed gas, of an outer cylindrical vessel disposed about and spaced from said inner cylindrical vessel thereby providing an intervening space for insulating purposes, a car frame having a center sill and provided with a bolster, a second frame for supporting said vessels disposed in supporting relation over said bolster and provided with means for engaging and rigidly supporting the Wall of said outer vessel, said second frame consisting of a pair of substantially rectangular plates having cut-away central portions permitting the snug passage of said outer vessel, a stiiening web uniting said plates at the sides and providing a unitary structure, anchoring means secured in a top'web of said second frame, supporting sleeves sealed in the Wall of said outer vessel and attached to said anchoring means, a girth member disposed about the bottom Wall of said inner vessel, brackets at the ends of said girth member, supporting connections extending from said brackets through said sleeves and made fast in said anchoring means, means for hermetically sealing said connections in said anchoring means, and means for bracing said outer vessel against end thrusts having imperforate attachment to the Wall of said outer vessel and secured to said car frame.

8. In a double-walled tank car construction, the combination with an inner cylindrical vessel adapted for holding a'liqueed gas, of an outer cylindrical vessel disposed about and spaced from said inner cylindrical vessel thereby providing an intervening space for insulating purposes, a car frame having a center sill and provided with a bolster, a second frame for supporting said vessels disposed in supporting relation over said bolster and provided with means for engaging and rigidly supporting the wall of said outer vessel, said second frame consisting of a pair of spaced substantially rectangular plates having their central portions cut away suiiciently to admit passage of said outer vessel, stiffening webs connecting said plates at their edges and providing a substantially unitary frame, anchoring means consisting of a pair of collars rigidly secured in the top web at the two sides of said second frame, each consisting of a perforated eoliar brazed in position in said tcp web. supporting sleeves sealed in the wall of said outer vessel and attached to said collars, a girth member disposed about the bottom wall of said inner vessel, brackets at the ends of said girth member', supporting rods attached to said brackets and extending through said collars and provided with nuts for adjustably positioning said rods in said collars, and closed caps soft soldered in position over said nuts to said collars whereby the passage through said collars to said intervening space is hermetically sealed.4

ODD A. HANSEN. 

